


Zero to Sixty

by shrdmdnssftw



Category: Bandom, Panic At The Disco
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-02-25
Updated: 2012-05-27
Packaged: 2017-10-31 17:32:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/346650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shrdmdnssftw/pseuds/shrdmdnssftw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <span class="small">A college AU <i>very</i> loosely based on this <a href="http://girlmarauders.livejournal.com/17643.html?thread=134891#t134891">not-fic</a> that I wrote earlier this year.</span>
</p>
<p>When Spencer Smith first meets Brendon Urie, the latter is bursting into the lecture hall twenty minutes late to freshman orientation. He is harried-looking and small and bursting with entirely too much energy for 8:50 in the morning.</p>
<p>When Ryan Ross first meets Brendon Urie, the latter is dragging the last of his suitcases into Ryan’s spare room. Somehow, it feels as if Ryan got the short end of the stick in this situation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Not beta-read, so please feel free to message me with any mistakes. Also, this fic will (probably) contain a horrid mess of Americanisms mixed with other -isms, so I apologise in advance for not being anywhere near consistent.

"Fucking fuck shit fuck."

A voice breaks through Spencer's morning bubble. Considering how it's before 10, his brain is still mush, but Spencer manages to find the source of the noise.

He's seated in the top left corner of the lecture hall, a key position to see everything, including the guy stumbling in late to the first orientation day of college. Spencer swears that the entrance to the room is purposefully in the front, just to shame any one who decides to turn up late.

The lecturer glares at the newcomer and Spencer feels a little sorry. That is, until- "Thank you for turning up, Mister-" "Uh, Urie, Brendon?" "Mister _Urie_ "- is bounding up the aisle with far too much energy for 8:50. Or for, you know, ever. 

Spencer just about groans when Urie, Brendon decides that the back row is awesome too, and dumps his satchel into the seat next to the seat next to Spencer. Spencer twitches. Maybe he's over reacting, but Spencer values his personal space, especially when there has been no coffee IV'd into his morning. 

The lecturer has continued droning on in the meantime, and Spencer tunes out. He's heard it all before, when he crashed Ryan's Freshman Intro last year. Not that much can have changed.

Except how it totally has when Spencer tunes back in a quarter hour later to the latecomer buzzing on and on about "and how awesome is it that they want us to get to know each other! I think I'm really going to like it here! Do you like it? What am I saying, of course you do." Judging by the murmurs around the room, it's an actual thing and Spencer blinks once- twice- and turns back to his not-neighbor-because-no-one-sits-that-close-to-Spencer. 

"So," he (Brendon, Brendon, Spencer knows the energizer bunny is called Brendon) says, "coffee?"

________

Brendon drinks his coffee like it's the only thing keeping him alive and maybe that's true. Judging from the barista's wink and crinkly smile, Spencer figures Brendon has set up shop in this Starbucks even before the semester began. It would explain how they managed to find a table within a minute of receiving their orders.

Spencer still doesn't get why they're doing this.

"I still don't get why we're doing this," he grumbles. He walked out of the lecture hall half in a daze and still feels sluggish. Spencer can understand what Ryan meant about university being a machine driven by caffeine now that he has a double shot latte in his hands.

Brendon hmms over his own sugary concoction which Spencer isn't even sure is on the menu. When he lifts his mouth up, the foam mustache looks ridiculous.

"Well, the university thinks that it'd be good to get on with the other students in our cohort because the sense of community is apparently very low and so is telling us to go out more and I think it's brilliant and-"

"And that still doesn't explain why, we're _actually_ here. Instead of. In bed. Sleeping. Not-awake."

Spencer is vaguely aware he's still locked in bitchmode from this morning's start. He tries again.

"Sorry. I'm Spencer, and I swear I'll be nicer when this coffee kicks in. I just normally don't start up until eleven so."

Brendon nods and smiles and finally seems to notice that his lip is adorned with frothy milk. Spencer wonders slightly peevishly if Brendon ever stops smiling. Brendon drags the back of his wrist against his upper lip.

"Hi Spencer! I'm Brendon, but you probably already heard that when the lecturer called at me when I walked in."

"Yep. Which was. A refreshing break from the droning for me, I suppose?"

"Ah, yeah. It was also totally not my fault."

Spencer snorts, because he's heard it before, a hundred times over, from Ryan.

"Yeah, that's what my best friend says. I'm guessing either broken alarm or slept through."

Brendon smiles again, relaxing into the flow of the conversation. 

"The latter, coupled with ten minutes for the person I'm staying with to mainline me with coffee so I wouldn't be a zombie when I walked in."

With that comes a nod to Cute Winking Barista, who Spencer has definitely _not_ assigned a nickname to. Cute Winking Barista seems to sense Brendon's reference and does a small wave, fingers wiggling, with his other hand holding the jug of milk to the nozzle thing of the coffee machine. Spencer does not rename him to Generally Cute Barista, because he did not give him a nickname in the first place.

Spencer flicks back to Brendon, making sure he wasn't too obviously lost. He's not sure whether he's succeeded or not, but in any case, Spencer is finished his sip of coffee and thus socially obliged to keep talking.

"So making an entrance is your thing, I suppose?" 

"Performance arts major," Brendon agrees, "focusing on vocals and piano."

Spencer nods, "I'm business economics myself, but my best friend is creative writing and music composition. I think your departments mix sometimes?"

"Yeah, I'm actually taking a comp class myself, since I've known the professor since ninth grade."

It's a cliche, sitting in the Starbucks and chatting college with a new classmate, but since his coffee goes cold before the conversation does, Spencer isn't begrudging the campus' suggestion.

They're laughing their asses off about something or other, the latest album from a band they both like, when Spencer happens to notice the time. It's eleven o'clock and Spencer knows it's a good five minute walk back to campus.

"Fucking fuck shit fuck," he mirrors from earlier, and looks apologetically at Brendon. "I've actually gotta run, I promised I'd meet Ryan at the dorms at 10:30."

"Nah, that's cool. New roommate?" Brendon asks and he's already slinging his satchel over his left shoulder, rests it on his right hip.

"The best friend, actually. I've a single, since Mom'd kill me if I tried to move in with Ryan."

"Wait what?" And Spencer supposes his wording was a bit vague, but he doesn't have time to explain. Instead, he grabs the phone Brendon is fiddling with as they both stand at the table, without having moved away from the chairs. Programming in his number, Spencer smiles at Brendon.

"Um, long story, can't really explain right now. But this wasn't actually completely terrible. We should hang out some time, when I'm already caffeinated from the start. I'll tell you then. Just. Call or text or whatever."

Brendon smiles and nods, so Spencer figures he's good to go. He walks out of the Starbucks into the Chicago streets and definitely does not back at the generally cute barista ( _not_ Generally Cute Barista) before the door swings back.

Spencer wonders if he's always been so easily attracted to coffee making people.

________

Considering Ryan has a pot waiting for him when Spencer opens his dorm room door, there may be some correlation. Possibly.

Spencer pretends it makes sense to have a coffeemaker in a single dorm, pours himself a mug, and promptly plomps himself down next to Ryan on the bed. He is immersed in his notebook and Spencer knows better than to coax Ryan out of it before he's ready.

Instead, he taps a rhythm on Ryan's leg and waits. 

When he finally looks up from the pages, Ryan's face is blank. It's been weeks since they've had time to catch up, and it was kind of a dick move for Spencer to show up late, he knows. But at least Ryan had a key.

Ryan's expression cracks a little at this explanation, and leans over to steal the mug from Spencer's hands.

"It's mostly my fault, anyway," Ryan says, placing the mug on the nightstand and well out of Spencer's reach. "I'm always at home, so we never have time anymore."

Spencer nods in agreement and reaches over to make grabby hands at the caffeine. Never mind what he's already had this morning.

"Nice try, but no."

Ryan promptly drinks the rest of the mug and smacks his lips together. Spencer promptly hits his best friend around the back of his head.

"What took you so long any way," Ryan asks as he rubs the sore spot over, "considering your freshers orientation ended at 9:15?"

"It concerns me that you know my schedule better than your own. And at a Starbucks, since your precious university decided to make sure us freshman built up a sense of community." 

Spencer does his best to put quotation marks around the last three words without actually having to do the stupid hand movements. 

"Which required one and a half hours to do, okay. Is he at least hot?" Ryan smirks at him. 

"Ha ha, no."

"So he's not hot then?"

Spencer takes a second to think. Ryan still has a smug look on his face, making this the most expressive he's been all week.

"Well, yes but no. I mean, I didn't really think about it."

Ryan has been ribbing Spencer about hot guys since they decided to come out to each other on the same day four years ago. Truthfully, though, Spencer hadn't thought of Brendon like that. He tends towards the cute end of the spectrum anyway.

"He's just. Nice. To talk to." 

"So I bet he has nice _friends_ then?"

Spencer definitely does not think of Generally Cute Barista and does not blush.

He does grab his pillow and throw it at Ryan's laughing face.


	2. Chapter 2

Brendon really loves Jon Walker. More than anything. Except maybe his courses at school. Oh, and Spencer Smith. Except he doesn't really know Spencer, and even though Spencer _seems_ cool, Spencer could totally be a mass murderer. Which would make him drop really low in Brendon's list of Things He Loves. But Jon Walker, Jon could kill puppies and still be pretty high on the list.

It is three days into the college year and Brendon has woken to up to a steaming mug of coffee on all three of them. This has brightened the fact that he's also woken up on a couch for those days. Brendon knows he should start looking for other accommodation soon, because Jon has been putting up with him for the past two weeks. He's been meaning to look, really, he has, but all he knows of right now are the dorms and Brendon's not sure if that will fit his meagre budget. The scholarship pays for enough of the tuition, but he's yet to get a job.

Since Spencer is living in the dorms and supposedly has a friend outside of them, Brendon figures that might be a good place to start asking things. Not that Brendon ever really stops asking things, but he _tries_ okay, he really does. 

He texted Spencer last night, asking if today was cool to meet up and it turns out they're both free for the afternoon. They plan to meet back up at the Starbucks, which makes Brendon glad since he'll be able to convince Jon to add extra sprinkles to his coffee. It also makes him a bit confused, in that Spencer suggested it and Brendon is pretty sure the coffee shop is out of Spencer's way.

He didn't ask, won't ask now and instead pulls on his Converse (also high on the Things He Loves list) before heading out the door.

________

"So then my mom kind of insisted that I stay in a single dorm, and that she'd foot the difference, so here I am."

Brendon is a little bummed. The cost of living in a dorm is much, much higher than he expected, even if he were to get a share room. 

On the upside, he's learnt a surprising amount about Mrs Smith and her dedication to her son's education. According to Spencer, since the eldest of her three children decided to follow his best friend to an out-of-state university, that child should do its best to not, you know, die or anything while he's at it. Brendon has also learnt that apparently Ryan does not even live in the dorms or, as Brendon had though, is even a freshman.

"So Ryan," Brendon starts, "lives alone or with family or?"

Spencer looks at him strangely. Brendon stares back, as if enough eye contact will make Spencer forget the weirdness of the probing question.

"Oh, come on," says Brendon. "I'll totally ignore the way you stared at Jon if you just answer the question."

"I. Did. Not. _Stare_!" Spencer hisses at Brendon. "And shut up, what if he hears you?"

Brendon laughs at the way Spencer flicks his eyes around the room as he says it, even though they both saw Jon go out for his break a good two minutes ago. Spencer has definitely risen in the list, started rising steadily when Brendon noticed how Spencer suddenly felt that Brendon could not be trusted with a simple coffee order. Being followed to the counter and trying to read Jon's name tag in what was the least subtle way possible, Spencer has endeared himself to Brendon. Spencer does not seem quite so enthusiastic about Brendon's changing opinions, but that might be because he's too busy blushing.

"Fine. He lives alone, actually. Has been, since he moved up here last year. Though I'm actually surprised he's lived that long alone without dying. It's probably due to my endless care and maintenance."

Brendon isn't sure how serious Spencer is being (the bitchface kind of throws him for a loop. It's totally allowed to happen, they've only really met the two times). He chances a smile and when Spencer quirks his lip too, Brendon thinks that maybe this could be a good friendship.

"So a walking accident factory?" Brendon hazards. If this best friend of Spencer is, Brendon can sympathise. For the first 16 years of his life, there was nothing Brendon could not break or smash or come within ten feet of without ruining. Somehow, puberty changed this and Brendon still thanks the gods that gave him grace, if not perfect eyesight.

"Got it in one," says Spencer.

"Ughhh. He seems lucky though. I'd kill to have a proper place."

"Wait, what?" Spencer asks Brendon. "Don't you room with Jon?"

"Uh, actually, no. I'm uh, just crashing on his couch for the moment, until I find something more permanent."

Spencer startles at that, as if some of Brendon's comments have clicked together. The one about staying-with not living-with or rooming-with. The other when he sighed about missing a proper bed. All his mentions of not having unpacked yet.

"Good friend, that Jon," Spencer manages. 

Brendon knows what Spencer is thinking and is about to get pissy (because he does _not_ need any one's charity money here) when a cough comes from behind Brendon.

"Yeah, I hear he's okay."

Jon's voice is lazy and slow and he lisps a little on the s. This is part of the reason he places high in the list of Things Brendon Loves. It also seems to be the reason that Spencer is red as Brendon's shoes when Jon sits on the couch across and says,

"So, you're Spencer Smith, just going by what Brendon says?"

Brendon swears that Spencer sinks back a little deeper into his armchair.

"Jon! Glad you could come and join us! We're having a tonne of fun!" He pushes his glasses back up his nose, after having knocked them with his hand gestures.

Spencer seems to be staring at the ground except not, and his eyes wander toward the wiggling digits in Jon's flip flops. 

"Actually, I needed to head off home, so I figured I'd ask if you wanna come with. Spencer too, if he wants."

The small smile in Spencer's direction is one of the final reasons Brendon loves Jon.

________

They end up watching a movie, Brendon as a third-wheel-and-buffer combination, but it was actually fun. 

As Brendon walks Spencer to the door, he laments having to set up his bed after this. Spencer suddenly looks as if he's come up with the best thing since sliced bread and says to Brendon to meet up soon, because he might have a solution.

Brendon wonders what the precipitate is and then hits himself for making the kind of jokes his old chemistry teachers enjoyed.

________

"So what's the story, morning glory?"

Brendon and Spencer are back at the Starbucks the next day, Spencer having ordered both his own _and_ Brendon's drink. Brendon thinks it's funny how Spencer pretends to be subtle, but it also means that he can crash into the seats that they've chosen for the afternoon.

The fact that Jon uses his special smile on Spencer as the latter walks away with the drinks makes Brendon feel like something good will come out of this friendship. Not at least to mention that he has a reason to guzzle down so much caffeine now.

Spencer has sat down in the meantime, and is fiddling with his serviette instead of answering Brendon's question straight away. It turns out that he really _is_ nicer after a coffee in the morning, so Brendon plans all their meetings for after 10 o'clock.

Looking up from his drink, Spencer makes serious eyes at Brendon. Brendon pokes his tongue out.

"Okay, no, so this might sound crazy but- you've owned a pet right?" 

"Um, yes. But I'm not really seeing the context of this conversation. You know finding an apartment for humans is hard enough in this city, right?" Brendon replies bewilderedly. This is definitely not the direction he imagined the conversation going.

"No, not like. That's not what I mean. I mean, you can look after things right? As well as yourself? The whole pet-sitting gig?" 

"Of course. I mean, if you've got a secret love-child-cat that you're not telling me about and this is your way of introduction, you can just say so. I don't judge," says Brendon. He's just realised that Jon drew a picture on his cardboard sleeve, and is trying to decipher the mess.

"Shut up, no. Besides I'm a dog person. What I actually meant was um. You know how you need a place to live?"

Brendon looks back up warily.

"Yes...? I mean, you probably guessed that's why I was asking yesterday."

"No, I totally picked that up straight away. Here's the thing though. I kind of totallythinkyoushouldmoveinwithRyanandmaybelookafterhimsohedoesn'tkillhimselfthisyear."

Spencer spits out the second half of the sentence like saying it quickly will make the phrase more sensible. Brendon stares for a second and then manages to find his words.

"What. The. Fuck?"


	3. Chapter 3

"No, it's actually a good idea- listen!"

Spencer has decided that maybe springing it Brendon in the public Starbucks was probably not the best idea. Especially with the way Jon is noticing Brendon being forced back down in his seat.

"Spencer," Brendon hisses, "I _don't_ need your pity."

For once, Spencer is glad for his bulk, and uses it quite effectively to sit on Brendon until he stops squirming away. 

"Okay, no, not pity. Listen for just. One. Sec."

With that, he pinches Brendon, but also shifts back into his own chair, since it seems the other guy has stopped protesting.

"You just said you want me to fucking petsit your best friend? What the heck am I meant to be listening to?"

Spencer knows (hopes thinks) that Brendon doesn't think he's completely crazy. He picks up Brendon's drink for the lack of something to do - Spencer's own was finished somewhere near the beginning of the conversation.

"Okay, so just give this idea a chance. You are not dead. You have not killed Jon in the time you've lived with him. Presumably, you can help out around the household. Ryan, on the other hand, will forget to eat if I do not send him texts. He does not understand that he can work outside of his bedroom, and if I don't check on him every month, I doubt he'd pay his bills."

He manages to get this out without too much trouble and glances down at the cup. There's a little cartoon Brendon on it (Spencer can recognise the glasses and shoes), laughing at something on the other side of the cardboard sleeve. Jon has gone back to work, since Brendon is presumably safe, and doesn't notice Spencer noticing him.

"So not pet sitting. And not baby sitting. Think of it as like. House keeping."

Spencer is still avoiding eye contact with real life Brendon, and instead follows the line of sight of Cartoon Brendon. What turns out to be on the other side is a picture of Spencer and Jon sitting thirty inches apart on a ninety inch long couch. Complete with measurements. And a sad face on the Jon. Spencer really doesn't know what to make of it, so he faces the Real Brendon.

Brendon, for the most part, looks much calmer, if not any less confused.

"So you want me to look after Ryan and his housework?"

Spencer possibly sighs in relief, but he wouldn't tell you if you forced him. He smiles up at Brendon and hopes that he is seriously considering the concept.

"And live with him in return. I mean, if you don't mind, it'd actually probably work out in terms of payment and the housework isn't that hard. I do it sometimes, and I mean, I'd live there myself but my mom-"

"Okay," Brendon interrupts, and Spencer stops rambling. "I'll do it. But only if. If you're really sure it'd work."

"Hey, no, yeah, that's awesome Brendon, thanks! You two are like. Perfect roommates for each other. Trust me when I say you'll have the space you need. Sometimes it's like Ryan forgets he has a spare bedroom."

Brendon smiles and takes back his coffee from Spencer. He waits for Brendon to finish in silence and when he's done, they walk out the door, Spencer carefully looking at Generally Cute Jon and gauging his reaction.

The smile that comes his way may make Spencer blush, but he'll tell Brendon that the weather is getting chillier.

________

"Holy crap, Brendon, how did you manage to fit so much stuff into the corner of Jon's apartment?" Spencer puffs as he drags yet another suitcase up the stairs. Of _course_ Spencer forgot that Ryan's apartment building had a tiny elevator which certainly would not be able to bring up Spencer, Brendon _and_ Brendon's belongings. Since Brendon is the one doing Spencer a favour (and honestly, it'll take a huge load off Spencer's mind to know that Ryan will be alive each day), Spencer said Brendon should use the lift to ferry the stuff.

He did not, however, anticipate the sheer volume of _stuff_ that Brendon owned. 

"Most of it is CDs," Brendon says, "but some is actually my clothes."

He plonks the suitcase he is carrying into the living room/kitchen of Ryan's place. Spencer himself is dragging the cases directly into Ryan's spare room. 

"Okay, make yourself at home. I'm having a coffee."

There was once a time that Spencer felt like a guest at Ryan's place, but that only lasted for a day. The coffeemaker that Ryan put on the counter the second day of living in Chicago basically meant an open invitation for Spencer to be at home.

"Again?" comes Brendon's voice. Apparently, instead of bringing the other suitcases in, Brendon is working on arranging what's in the spare room already.

Sure, they'd been at Starbucks that morning already, but that was for a proper purpose. Not coffee. Spencer firmly believes that coffee needs to have its own special moments.

They'd actually gone in to say one last farewell to Jon, since Brendon had packed up in less than 10 minutes. Breaking it to Jon, that Spencer was stealing away Brendon, would have been hard, except for the fact that the barista was too easy-going.

"So long as I still get to see you both," Jon had said, "I'm fine. In fact, you should give me your number now so I can make sure you come back."

Spencer had blushed and quickly rattled off the digits, before Brendon pulled him out to the streets and made him tug along the cases. It was only a ten minute walk between the Starbucks and Ryan's apartment, Spencer knows, but it felt like forever, what with the mix of elation and adrenaline in Spencer.

He tunes back in as the lovely sound of the coffee dripping starts up. It'll be a little while before there's enough to drink, so Spencer fiddles with his phone. He's totally not wondering if Jon's texted yet, except how Spencer is.

There's a little picture, an unopened envelope, and the screen flashes with "One new message. Sender unknown." The message opens up, and Spencer smiles at the contents.

"Brendon," he calls out to the spare room. "I'm gonna. Um, go now. There's someone I'm going to meet."

"Wait, what? Brendon says, as he pokes his head out the doorframe. "It's only - oh. Twelve thirty. Funny, that's when Jon's shift ends."

"Yeah, well." Spencer shifts from foot to foot, then gives up the pretence. Brendon is obviously trying not to laugh.

"Yeah, well, you're going to be late for your date, if you don't get running," Brendon smirks. "Thanks for this, by the way. I'll just. Finish up."

"Cool," Spencer nods, and then he's out of there. Normally, he'd lament the waste of coffee, but Brendon and Ryan will be there to drink it and crap, Ryan will be there. Ryan, who it somehow slipped his mind to tell him that Brendon would be moving in today. Or that Brendon would be moving in at all. Spencer debates turning back, but then his phone buzzes with a text from Jon. _Screw it_ , he thinks, and continues on to the Starbucks where Jon is waiting. Brendon and Ryan can deal.

________

According to Spencer himself, when Spencer met Brendon, the latter was bursting into the lecture hall twenty minutes late, harried-looking and small and bursting with entirely too much energy for 8:50 in the morning.

When Ryan Ross first meets Brendon Urie, the latter is dragging the last of his suitcases into Ryan’s spare room. Somehow, it feels as if Ryan got the short end of the stick in this situation.

The man that Ryan presumes is Brendon seems to notice he's no longer alone in the main room of Ryan's apartment. He is blushing slightly and reminds Ryan of himself, back when he got enough sleep and couldn't help his facial expressions.

Now, Ryan pastes on his best "I am not easily killed" face and asks maybe-Brendon what he's doing here.

"Uh, didn't Spencer tell you?" Maybe-Brendon asks. "I'm, uh, Brendon. Brendon Urie. I guess you'd call me your new housekeeper?"

Ryan relaxes slightly, though that might be because of the smell of coffee wafting from the kitchen side of the room. The same smell that got him up and out of his room in the first place.

"I don't pay you, do I?" Ryan asks, and admittedly, not the best way to continue the conversation, but it's early. For Ryan.

"No, uh, but I kind of need a place to stay? And Spencer said I could live here if I help with your work. I mean, house work. I don't want to interfere with your other life stuff." 

Brendon rambles and seems to have atrocious taste in suitcases, but as Ryan sips his warmbitterdelicious coffee, he decides that it could work.

"No, I don't suppose you would want to interfere. The bathroom is down the hall."

With that, Ryan walks back into his bedroom with his mug of coffee in hand. Maybe Brendon knows how to use a French Press.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _It's kind of like Brendon's living with a ghost. Except not as scary. Maybe._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I originally had excuses and all that as to why this hasn't been updated in months (despite this chapter being written literally the day after I last posted), but the truth is that I just wasn't too happy with this chapter and so scrapped it twenty billion times. I've now gone back to the first version of it that I wrote. Hopefully, no one hates this.
> 
> Also, apologies for the short chapter length, but I've decided that since I can't seem to help but awkward switch character POVs, I'd split it again. Still un-beta'd, so if you see a mistake, feel free to point it out! :)

Brendon has been living with Ryan for just over a week now, and he's starting to think Spencer was lying about Ryan living alone. Ryan clearly does not live in this apartment at all, since Brendon has seen neither hide nor hair of the other guy. 

When Brendon wakes up, there's always a pot of freshly brewed coffee in the machine, but no one around who could have made it. By the time he pops back in for lunch, what Brendon didn't drink has been finished off and a mug is in the sink, but Ryan still hasn't shown up. Three days into the living arrangement, Brendon thought that he saw Ryan out of the corner of his eye, leaving the bathroom, but by the time Brendon turned around, the other bedroom door had shut.

It's kind of like Brendon is living with a ghost. Except not quite as scary. Maybe.

________

So one of the things that Brendon didn't mention to Spencer is that he sometimes doesn't sleep well. It doesn't happen enough to be anything serious, but there are nights when the sun has almost chased the moon away and Brendon still hasn't gone to bed.

It's on one of those nights, well into the second week, that Brendon has finally managed to see the Ryan in his natural environment. Perhaps he will be able to coax the reclusive species out into the open with gradual interaction and okay, maybe those animal documentaries weren't such a good idea. There are about three tabs open on his laptop, all full of safari commentaries from YouTube.

Brendon wanders out into the open room, since there's only so long that he can stand in his bedroom doorway for. In the dark lighting, Brendon can see Ryan standing at the window. There's not much of a view, to be quite honest, but Brendon's just glad he's got somewhere to stay. The work hasn't been that hard either, once Brendon managed to find the virtually unused cleaning products in the cupboard under the sink, and Spencer had actually given him the cash for groceries.

He cleaned the windows yesterday, and maybe that's why Ryan is staring out at the city lights, too close to be twinkling, too dim to cast shadows. Brendon's hesitant, unsure whether he should make less noise or more as he walks past, but Ryan makes the decision for him.

"I like the job you've done," Ryan says, breaking the silence without turning around. "I mean. The apartment is cleaner, and I think I can actually find the important mail for once."

Brendon flushes a little. He hadn't meant to go through the mail, but when the job applications that he'd sent out started to filter back to this apartment, it became necessary. Since then, Brendon's been leaving Ryan's considerable pile of mail on the kitchen bench, where it disappears as the coffee does.

"I'm- uh, I'm glad that you think so. I mean, I hope I'm not actually getting in your way, or anything."

"No, no. It's... nice. Knowing that there's someone else here."

Brendon nods and waits. When Ryan doesn't say anything else and still doesn't turn around, Brendon leaves.

Ryan still avoids him during the day, but after that night Brendon knows that if they're both up when it's dark, they can talk.

He finds himself staying up on more nights that he really should.

________

It's when Brendon's sorting out the mail on a slightly chilly October morning that he remembers that people normally pay rent. A handwritten letter is sitting on top of the rest of their mail, collected from the small mailbox in the building's front room. Apparently their landlady (and it's something Brendon never would have thought he'd have, lying on Jon's couch a few weeks back) is planning a visit.

Brendon's been meaning to ask Ryan about the residency and the people who owned it, but in between school and Jon and cleaning the apartment, not to mention Ryan's night-only talking policy, there hasn't been time. Spencer hadn't been too helpful either, the few times that Brendon thought to ask.

He's sitting in the Starbucks now, waiting for Spencer to stop flirting with Jon so that they can walk to campus. As much as Brendon loves his two closest friends (and what is it to anyone that he hasn't made many friends otherwise), he's kind of getting tired of the bashful dating stage. Neither will admit to it actually being dating, with Spencer being sure that they're just "hanging out" and Jon saying that Spencer "was a really nice guy, Bren. Super nice."

Spencer finally stops their daily mating ritual by picking up the travel cups of coffee and nudging Brendon with his elbow. As they move off, Brendon swears he sees Jon wink, a clear mating call of the Walker clan.

And yep, Brendon definitely needs to tone down on the nature documentaries.

________

They're halfway to campus when Brendon remembers the letter. He turns to Spencer, who is halfway through a monologue on Jon's barista skills (and he thinks he's _subtle_ ), and interrupts.

"So what's the landlady like?" Brendon asks.

Spencer gives him a blank look and Brendon tries to remember to stay on topic next time.

"Uh whose? Ryan's? 'Cause I'm pretty sure you've met Jon's."

"Of course Ryan's. Like, are we talking Kraken here or something less?"

Spencer gives his patented are-you-kidding-me look. It's a legitimate question though, and Brendon tells Spencer that.

"No, seriously, I have to know. Apparently she's coming over on Saturday. Some sort of pre-holiday season check in?"

Spencer seems to take this in, and sips from his coffee. Brendon's been fiddling with his empty cup for a while now, but only because he tends to drink so fast he scalds his tongue.

"Eh, she's not too bad? I've only really seen her once, when I helped Ryan move in. She's, uh, kind of really into traditions though? I mean, I suppose this is just another one of them, but apparently she went all out with the Christmas cards last year."

Brendon smiles. He's really freaking glad he's got somewhere to stay this Christmas, even if he is basically a live in maid. House keep, he corrects himself. Which he isn't even, so.

They've reached the Brendon's building now, and Spencer turns to him.

"So uh. Jon and I were thinking of going to the movies later."

"Oh, cool," Brendon smiles, "so like a date?"

"Um, not really? I was kind of wondering if you wanted to go. There's that new comedy movie out, and Jon said you like that kind of stuff?"

Brendon looks at Spencer and tries to make his eyebrows convey his utter disbelief. When that doesn't work, he resorts back to words.

"I thought you were crushing on Jon, not me."

Spencer splutters at him again, and Brendon's at his wits end. He walks off into the building and calls out to Spencer just as he leaves earshot.

"I'll be there, okay, but I swear to God, if you two aren't officially dating by this Friday..."

He's pretty sure Spencer flips him the bird, but Brendon's already too busy laughing as he heads indoors.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, apologies for the delay, and this is extra, extra short, but bear in mind that it was meant to be post as part of the one before!  
> (also, I promise the plot will progress soon. probably.)

Spencer is 99% sure Jon Walker wants in his pants.

The one percent comes from Brendon still hanging out at Jon's place during the day like Ryan's got cooties or some shit. Spencer isn't begrudging Brendon his best-friend rights, because God knows Brendon knew Jon first, but the way that the two of them just- fit together is enough to make Spencer question his relationship with Jon.

Not that he really has one, to be honest. Since being called out on Brendon's little moving in afternoon, he and Jon have gone to the movies twice, had dinner once and went to the park with Brendon the other weekend. 

Ryan was meant to come, Spencer had invited Ryan, and told Brendon to remind Ryan, but it's edging near Hallowe'en and Spencer _knows_ that Ryan is probably still on the last page of his latest writing attempt.

But getting back to Jon Walker, because he is sitting right in front of Spencer right at this moment and it is very hard not to notice how his hair has a little curl at the longest part, like Jon hasn't gotten a hair cut for a while. Jon Walker is currently talking to Spencer about something which he swears he heard and can understand but is being filtered by the fact that Jon is wearing flip flops in Chicago's autumn. Sometimes Spencer questions what he's attracted to.

"So what do you think?" Jon asks and this is the part that Spencer hates, zoning back in to be embarrassed.

"Uh," he replies. Sometimes he is so eloquent and there's a reason why Ryan is doing writing studies, not Spencer.

"Of going on a road trip over next weekend? I've got a pretty decently sized van to borrow and I mean, I've Monday off so. It was just an idea."

And holy crap, Spencer is going to say he's 100% sure now. And yes to the roadtrip, of course.

"So what should I bring?" and Jon's resultant smile is brilliant.

________

He pops into Ryan and Brendon's place and it's funny how quickly Spencer has changed the apartment's name in his mind. To be fair, Brendon actually has more of his own touch at the place than Ryan does. Since Brendon moved in, Spencer's seen Ryan acquire a set of coasters, a new brand of shampoo, new cleaning products and, most confusingly, a wide array of tuning forks.

 

Ryan's not around when Spencer arrives, so he and Brendon just chill for a bit, chat about their courses and how Brendon's actually close to getting a job.

"'Cause, y'know, it was kind of hard there for a bit. I love that Jon gave me a place to stay, but since I knew it wasn't temporary, I couldn't really put the address down for many applications. It's great now, though, I've put in a few applications down at the Smoothie Hut and the Subway and of course the Starbucks, even though Jon says they're not hiring. But it's great and thank you."

Brendon speeds up toward the end, like Spencer won't feel weird about being thanked if it happens quickly. To be honest, he still doesn't really know why he suggested it to Brendon, but it seemed right. Spencer ignores the thanks in the nicest way he can.

"So Jon asked me on road trip," Spencer brilliantly segues. If an abrupt change of topic is brilliant, that is.

It does the job, though, and Brendon stops worrying about thanking Spencer and starts listing things that the two of them can do on their great adventure. Spencer blushes a little, but actually notes aside some of the things that Brendon mentions.

He's not so sure about the road head though.

________

Friday morning, and Spencer wakes up with a pillow smushed under his mouth and his phone buzzing incessantly by his left ear. He groans, rolling over and trying to avoid opening his eyes too soon.

He swears, he'll check his phone soon, but for the meantime, Spencer drags himself out of bed, pulls on a pair of sweatpants and turns on the coffee machine.

After downing his first gulp, Spencer's finally awake enough to read the screen of his phone, which cheerfully tells him he has a new text from Jon Walker at 7:40 in the morning. It's about an hour and a half earlier than he'd usually be up, but somehow, Spencer doesn't seem to care. He reads the message and starts to gather his bags, packed the night before.

Somehow, Spencer has a wonderful feeling about the weekend to come.


End file.
